"What shall be given unto thee? Or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?" (Psalms 120:3)
Obviously there is more to this than just asking for forgiveness; there are people that need to be offered the chance to forgive and that deserve a sincere apology for any wrong that has been done to them. If you have ever been involved with A.A. then you know what I am getting at and how they stress the importance of making amends. They refer to this process with a thing called, "The Serenity Prayer," which goes: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference." As many of us should know, this is not just the outlook of those that might be involved with addition recovery, this is pretty much the way things need to be viewed when it comes to life in general. There are certain things that we can never change, no matter how hard we might try, it just cannot be done. Does that mean that they will not change? No, not in the least! What it does mean, is that we cannot do anything; but maybe someone else can, and maybe, just maybe time itself will change things. The important thing to remember, is that we need the wisdom to know the difference between the two; and the things that are determined to be what we can change, we need the courage to face the challenge of doing whatever it is that we need to do. Don't you just love the way God works? He never leaves us alone in our sinful nature. If there is an issue that you are dealing with, you can bet for certain that you are not alone; we all face the same issues, some more than others, but in one way or another they all are associated with the original sin: Disobedience to the Word of God! Sure, you could make it about lust, or pride, or even power; but none of that would have even been considered if disobedience was not a choice; those things were the things that made disobedience worth the try. So, in the way that the Serenity Prayer works, what that looks like is very similar to that famous quote: "God said it, I believe it, that settles it!" You cannot change that! You also cannot change the desires of your foolish hearts, because they are always going to rise up, and they are always gong to be and issue. But God's word never changes, it is never altered by anything that we feel or think is owed to us, or even the things that we think we can get away with. These foolish things that we contend with must be overruled, and the thing that overrules them is the Word of God, period...
"Then Jesus said unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, it he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." (Matthew 16:24-27)
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Monday, April 29, 2019
"Tranquility"
"Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue." (Psalms 120:2)
Another aspect of "degrees" is that of intensity, as in, how much will this matter, or how hot will it get; never mind the fact that certain things can lead us into doing things that we ought not do, if the intensity of the situation calls for it, we might not have any control over what we might do. Maybe we don't really understand the deceitfulness of the human heart? Isn't that where lying comes from? In all actuality, lying is the work and fruit of the devil. Even a simple little lie is enough to cause harm and unrest in a relationship; let alone what it does to the heart of the one that started it. It is like a revolving door, that just keeps coming back to that same lie, over and over, creating new lies to reinforce the falseness of the very first lie; until the simple little lie is complex and bigger than you can any longer control. Talk about intensity, once it is put into motion, it has a life all of its own. Anywho, this can all be handled by one very important rule: Don't lie! Easier said than done; but it requires some discipline and practice. If you have studied David's life, then you aught to know a little something about him, that he was not exactly 100% honest, and there were people around him that knew it and used it against him. At this point, what else can we do? "Deliver my soul," is pretty much all that we can ask for or expect. We cannot put that genie back in the bottle; there is no flash of light that can wipe away all the memories of those that knew or were affected by your lies. On the other side of this, there is being lied about; something that requires something closely associated with the title of this post. Tranquility is the art of being calm; the ability to remain calm in the storm of false accusations and lies against your character and your reputation. It really takes someone that has trust in God, that even the more intense things might become, they remain tranquil and calm. How do you prepare for such an event? What Would Jesus Do...
"Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witnesses against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the Temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (Matthew 26:59-64)
Another aspect of "degrees" is that of intensity, as in, how much will this matter, or how hot will it get; never mind the fact that certain things can lead us into doing things that we ought not do, if the intensity of the situation calls for it, we might not have any control over what we might do. Maybe we don't really understand the deceitfulness of the human heart? Isn't that where lying comes from? In all actuality, lying is the work and fruit of the devil. Even a simple little lie is enough to cause harm and unrest in a relationship; let alone what it does to the heart of the one that started it. It is like a revolving door, that just keeps coming back to that same lie, over and over, creating new lies to reinforce the falseness of the very first lie; until the simple little lie is complex and bigger than you can any longer control. Talk about intensity, once it is put into motion, it has a life all of its own. Anywho, this can all be handled by one very important rule: Don't lie! Easier said than done; but it requires some discipline and practice. If you have studied David's life, then you aught to know a little something about him, that he was not exactly 100% honest, and there were people around him that knew it and used it against him. At this point, what else can we do? "Deliver my soul," is pretty much all that we can ask for or expect. We cannot put that genie back in the bottle; there is no flash of light that can wipe away all the memories of those that knew or were affected by your lies. On the other side of this, there is being lied about; something that requires something closely associated with the title of this post. Tranquility is the art of being calm; the ability to remain calm in the storm of false accusations and lies against your character and your reputation. It really takes someone that has trust in God, that even the more intense things might become, they remain tranquil and calm. How do you prepare for such an event? What Would Jesus Do...
"Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witnesses against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the Temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (Matthew 26:59-64)
Sunday, April 28, 2019
"Continuity"
"In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me." (Psalms 120:1)
Besides the fact that "degrees" can speak of time, or as some might look at it, infinity; it also speaks of height, as in a journey to a higher place. This is something else that Jesus did for us, to allow us access into the Holy of Holies; the place previously forbidden was made accessible by the blood of Jesus Christ. When the curtain was torn, it was torn from the top downward, which signified that it was torn by God. Back to the point about owning what we are and our great need for God's mercy; this is the key to the access granted, because without the "distress" access is denied. In other words, in the words of James, "Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." (James 4:10) Sometimes it is not even a matter of God coming to our rescue, it is a matter of us having the right perspective. The closer we get to God, the further away our problems appear. It is not very hard to figure out that certain things will loose their ominous appearance when we have a better view of God's power and might. Whatever it is, in the sight of Almighty God, things shrink in size and the threat is greatly reduced. I am not saying that God does not do anything, not at all; God only needs to hear our cry, and it is enough to give us comfort and peace in any situation. As a matter of fact, just knowing that He hears me, that He is there listening, that alone is enough to ease the distress. When the Creator of heaven and earth listens to my cry, what else is there to do! Worry is no longer the issue, that is for sure! How do we know when God hears us? Looking at the closing verse from yesterday, Paul used the term that explains it all, the term "persuaded." It is a term that means to believe and have confidence in. Do you believe? If you believe that you are His child, then you should also believe that He listens when you cry out to Him. I am persuaded that He hears me all the time. There is many times in a day that I will acknowledge that He heard me, and I instantly will ask for His forgiveness for something I said. I think sometimes we forget that He is right here within us...
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." (Colossians 2:6-12)
Besides the fact that "degrees" can speak of time, or as some might look at it, infinity; it also speaks of height, as in a journey to a higher place. This is something else that Jesus did for us, to allow us access into the Holy of Holies; the place previously forbidden was made accessible by the blood of Jesus Christ. When the curtain was torn, it was torn from the top downward, which signified that it was torn by God. Back to the point about owning what we are and our great need for God's mercy; this is the key to the access granted, because without the "distress" access is denied. In other words, in the words of James, "Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." (James 4:10) Sometimes it is not even a matter of God coming to our rescue, it is a matter of us having the right perspective. The closer we get to God, the further away our problems appear. It is not very hard to figure out that certain things will loose their ominous appearance when we have a better view of God's power and might. Whatever it is, in the sight of Almighty God, things shrink in size and the threat is greatly reduced. I am not saying that God does not do anything, not at all; God only needs to hear our cry, and it is enough to give us comfort and peace in any situation. As a matter of fact, just knowing that He hears me, that He is there listening, that alone is enough to ease the distress. When the Creator of heaven and earth listens to my cry, what else is there to do! Worry is no longer the issue, that is for sure! How do we know when God hears us? Looking at the closing verse from yesterday, Paul used the term that explains it all, the term "persuaded." It is a term that means to believe and have confidence in. Do you believe? If you believe that you are His child, then you should also believe that He listens when you cry out to Him. I am persuaded that He hears me all the time. There is many times in a day that I will acknowledge that He heard me, and I instantly will ask for His forgiveness for something I said. I think sometimes we forget that He is right here within us...
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." (Colossians 2:6-12)
Saturday, April 27, 2019
"A Prayer for Deliverance"
PSALMS 120 "A Song of Degrees."
It seems like it has been so long, I forgot how to set this up. Whether or not the writer of this Psalm is speaking of himself or others, it really does not matter; the main point that I get from this is that he is praying for his soul. Those of us that might have suffered through any sort of tragedy, understand that deliverance for whatever that might have been, does not guarantee anything; we are still going to face another, sooner or later. All of the people that Jesus healed, all ended up dying in the end; their day came and went, and whatever they were healed of really did not matter at the end of their life. But, what did matter from the experience of being healed was the testimony of the being healed. It is believed that this Psalms was penned by David, as it closely resembles Psalms 52, which was about the accusations of Doeg's from 1 Samuel 22. That being said, we have an accuser of our own; none other than the devil, who not only accuses us, but has as his intension to cause us to be discouraged from our consistent failures and feelings of being a terrible servant of the Lord. As was the meaning put forth in the last post, we must own what we are! If we expect to be protected by God, then we must become humble and accept that we are a wreck, a sinner, and in desperate need of God's mercy and grace. But above all else, we must believe that He loves us, unconditionally loves us! There is absolutely nothing that we can do to add to or take away from our salvation; because our salvation is not based upon our own merit, it is completely made available to us by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. What part of free don't we understand? It is free; a free gift that God gives us because He loves us! Real deliverance is measured by how long it will last. The last I checked, eternity is the longest lasting deliverance that there is. So, if you are wondering what "Degrees" might represent, look no further than the degree of time, as in, how long will this deliverance last...
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
It seems like it has been so long, I forgot how to set this up. Whether or not the writer of this Psalm is speaking of himself or others, it really does not matter; the main point that I get from this is that he is praying for his soul. Those of us that might have suffered through any sort of tragedy, understand that deliverance for whatever that might have been, does not guarantee anything; we are still going to face another, sooner or later. All of the people that Jesus healed, all ended up dying in the end; their day came and went, and whatever they were healed of really did not matter at the end of their life. But, what did matter from the experience of being healed was the testimony of the being healed. It is believed that this Psalms was penned by David, as it closely resembles Psalms 52, which was about the accusations of Doeg's from 1 Samuel 22. That being said, we have an accuser of our own; none other than the devil, who not only accuses us, but has as his intension to cause us to be discouraged from our consistent failures and feelings of being a terrible servant of the Lord. As was the meaning put forth in the last post, we must own what we are! If we expect to be protected by God, then we must become humble and accept that we are a wreck, a sinner, and in desperate need of God's mercy and grace. But above all else, we must believe that He loves us, unconditionally loves us! There is absolutely nothing that we can do to add to or take away from our salvation; because our salvation is not based upon our own merit, it is completely made available to us by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. What part of free don't we understand? It is free; a free gift that God gives us because He loves us! Real deliverance is measured by how long it will last. The last I checked, eternity is the longest lasting deliverance that there is. So, if you are wondering what "Degrees" might represent, look no further than the degree of time, as in, how long will this deliverance last...
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
Friday, April 26, 2019
"Lives Protected"
"I have gone astray like a lost sheep: seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments." (Psalms 119:176)
When push comes to shove, we must believe that God is ultimately on our side: And, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) Never mind that life can sometimes be tuff, never mind that we might not have all the answers; He has given all that we need to know! As Paul would say, "For I am determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2) Not that I do not believe in recovery programs, because they do work for a percentage of those that stick with their programs; but when Christ has set us free, He makes us free indeed! It really comes down to one simple understanding, that God changes lives, not man! Yes, there can be recovery and some awareness of God found in worldly programs; but this is not about being part of a program or making confessions to one another: this is about a relationship with the God that loves you, that promises to never let you go, and that gave it all to ensure there is a place for you to be with Him for all eternity! Let me tell you about these "commandments" that David is trying to tell us about, because the way I see it, there needs to be one, one that must never be done: Don't ever forget that God loves you! We might not be the greatest at loving back; we surely aren't very good at faithfully loving each other; but the one thing we must be really good at is believing that God loves us, no matter what, He loves us! There are three very distinct concepts that are shown here, three things that matter more than anything we can else in our upside-down world of failures and disappointments. The first and foremost thing is that we will fail! Get over yourself if you think that you won't, because, "All we like sheep have gone astray." Secondly, that when we are astray, we are lost sheep; not just any lost sheep, we are His sheep! And you can bet your bottom dollar, when His sheep are lost, He will find them! And lastly, if the shoe fits, wear it...
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17)
When push comes to shove, we must believe that God is ultimately on our side: And, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) Never mind that life can sometimes be tuff, never mind that we might not have all the answers; He has given all that we need to know! As Paul would say, "For I am determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2) Not that I do not believe in recovery programs, because they do work for a percentage of those that stick with their programs; but when Christ has set us free, He makes us free indeed! It really comes down to one simple understanding, that God changes lives, not man! Yes, there can be recovery and some awareness of God found in worldly programs; but this is not about being part of a program or making confessions to one another: this is about a relationship with the God that loves you, that promises to never let you go, and that gave it all to ensure there is a place for you to be with Him for all eternity! Let me tell you about these "commandments" that David is trying to tell us about, because the way I see it, there needs to be one, one that must never be done: Don't ever forget that God loves you! We might not be the greatest at loving back; we surely aren't very good at faithfully loving each other; but the one thing we must be really good at is believing that God loves us, no matter what, He loves us! There are three very distinct concepts that are shown here, three things that matter more than anything we can else in our upside-down world of failures and disappointments. The first and foremost thing is that we will fail! Get over yourself if you think that you won't, because, "All we like sheep have gone astray." Secondly, that when we are astray, we are lost sheep; not just any lost sheep, we are His sheep! And you can bet your bottom dollar, when His sheep are lost, He will find them! And lastly, if the shoe fits, wear it...
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17)
Thursday, April 25, 2019
"Lives Directed"
"Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me." (Psalms 119:175)
As it turns out, those that live their lives believing that God controls each and every outcome, will also prepare their hearts to give Him praise in the midst of every storm; even in the midst of tragedy and catastrophe. You can take this or leave it, but I tell you with all sincerity, the big and uncontrollable problems in my life are always the ones that are surrounded by peace and comfort; it is the little things that I get frustrated over. It is actually an easy thing to figure out: the little things are usually the things I feel obligated to take care of on my own; the uncontrollable things are instantly given up to God. My mother-in-law is always quick to tell me to pray about certain little things; she has a slogan on her license plate that says, "Life is fragile, Handle it with prayer." This is not all that difficult to understand, if we are really interested in being a servant of the Lord. The thing that makes it most difficult is timing and priority; as in, what time is the Lord's, and what matters the most. Don't think for a moment that I have anything figured out, because as soon as I think I have something handled, no sooner it is that I find myself upside-down and confused. Looking at what I believe David is trying to say, and given the lessons of each and every section of God's law, this pretty much sums up the entire Psalm, give or take a certain issue. This is the point of Jacob and Israel; whereas Jacob is a man who thinks he controls things, and Israel is a man that is governed by God. Oddly enough, they are both the same man; almost as if he were a single coin that has two very distinct sides, heads and tails. It really does not matter which side you might flip the coin to, it is still going to fall to the same place; right on top of God's hand...
"But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, "I believed in God, so I spoke." We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!" (2 Corinthians 4:13-17) NLT
As it turns out, those that live their lives believing that God controls each and every outcome, will also prepare their hearts to give Him praise in the midst of every storm; even in the midst of tragedy and catastrophe. You can take this or leave it, but I tell you with all sincerity, the big and uncontrollable problems in my life are always the ones that are surrounded by peace and comfort; it is the little things that I get frustrated over. It is actually an easy thing to figure out: the little things are usually the things I feel obligated to take care of on my own; the uncontrollable things are instantly given up to God. My mother-in-law is always quick to tell me to pray about certain little things; she has a slogan on her license plate that says, "Life is fragile, Handle it with prayer." This is not all that difficult to understand, if we are really interested in being a servant of the Lord. The thing that makes it most difficult is timing and priority; as in, what time is the Lord's, and what matters the most. Don't think for a moment that I have anything figured out, because as soon as I think I have something handled, no sooner it is that I find myself upside-down and confused. Looking at what I believe David is trying to say, and given the lessons of each and every section of God's law, this pretty much sums up the entire Psalm, give or take a certain issue. This is the point of Jacob and Israel; whereas Jacob is a man who thinks he controls things, and Israel is a man that is governed by God. Oddly enough, they are both the same man; almost as if he were a single coin that has two very distinct sides, heads and tails. It really does not matter which side you might flip the coin to, it is still going to fall to the same place; right on top of God's hand...
"But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, "I believed in God, so I spoke." We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!" (2 Corinthians 4:13-17) NLT
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
"Lives Unbroken"
"I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD: and thy law is my delight." (Psalms 119:174)
No matter what you might think about the hardship and misery of this current life, the hope we have within us is nothing about the life here on this earth; it is the life in heaven that gives us lasting hope, hope that cannot be squashed or conquered by anything this world can dish out or put upon us. This is the catalyst for the "delight" David is talking about having in the law of the LORD, because the law of the LORD is what promises true salvation. Not keeping the law, but delighting in the law; there is such an amazing difference! I know by now how hard it is to keep the law; it is impossible to keep it, but delighting in it, that is where we find the peace that passes all natural understanding. Don't be fooled by those that try and convince you that the law no longer matters, because God does not change His stand on our condition of being righteous and holy. No way, No how! Jesus Christ has made us holy and righteous by taking our place; the perfect sacrifice that satisfied all the requirements of the law; but the perfect law still remains, it is just satisfied and complete in Christ. This is what is meant by "Lives Unbroken." If there is one thing that we need to pay close attention to, it is the fact that our righteousness is established in Christ! As soon as we start counting on ourselves for any form of righteousness, we are going to be greatly disappointed by the result, and any possible hope in salvation is going to be challenged by our performance. When Paul talks about this principle, he uses the term, "slave," as the worldly illustration, saying, "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness and holiness." (Romans 6:19) The point of what Paul is getting across involves us becoming slaves to God! We were once slaves to sin; trapped under the bondage of sin, sin ruled us and prevented us from becoming holy and righteous; but Jesus, by His blood, purchased us and now we are slaves of God, under the bondage of righteousness and holiness, of which is provided to us by the obedience of Christ. Can you see why I said that the perfect law provides the peace that passes all natural understanding? If you can picture what Paul is trying to say, slaves no not need to provide the wealth and provisions of their masters, they get to live in and under the what the Master owns...
"For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:20-23)
No matter what you might think about the hardship and misery of this current life, the hope we have within us is nothing about the life here on this earth; it is the life in heaven that gives us lasting hope, hope that cannot be squashed or conquered by anything this world can dish out or put upon us. This is the catalyst for the "delight" David is talking about having in the law of the LORD, because the law of the LORD is what promises true salvation. Not keeping the law, but delighting in the law; there is such an amazing difference! I know by now how hard it is to keep the law; it is impossible to keep it, but delighting in it, that is where we find the peace that passes all natural understanding. Don't be fooled by those that try and convince you that the law no longer matters, because God does not change His stand on our condition of being righteous and holy. No way, No how! Jesus Christ has made us holy and righteous by taking our place; the perfect sacrifice that satisfied all the requirements of the law; but the perfect law still remains, it is just satisfied and complete in Christ. This is what is meant by "Lives Unbroken." If there is one thing that we need to pay close attention to, it is the fact that our righteousness is established in Christ! As soon as we start counting on ourselves for any form of righteousness, we are going to be greatly disappointed by the result, and any possible hope in salvation is going to be challenged by our performance. When Paul talks about this principle, he uses the term, "slave," as the worldly illustration, saying, "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness and holiness." (Romans 6:19) The point of what Paul is getting across involves us becoming slaves to God! We were once slaves to sin; trapped under the bondage of sin, sin ruled us and prevented us from becoming holy and righteous; but Jesus, by His blood, purchased us and now we are slaves of God, under the bondage of righteousness and holiness, of which is provided to us by the obedience of Christ. Can you see why I said that the perfect law provides the peace that passes all natural understanding? If you can picture what Paul is trying to say, slaves no not need to provide the wealth and provisions of their masters, they get to live in and under the what the Master owns...
"For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:20-23)
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
"Broken Lives"
"Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts." (Psalms 119:173)
Let's be honest about something here, because without God's help, seen and unseen, none of us would know anything about who He is or what He means to us. I don't think half of us that call ourselves Christians really understand the magnitude and power that brought us to the cross. The simple chance that we might be in the right place, at the right time; in the perfect frame of mind, and that the Holy Spirit would soften our heart, in just the right moment; it is more than coincidence, it is all God's doing, right down to the message prepared just for you! I couldn't help but think of Paul, the one that was called Saul; who, while on the road to Damascus, bent with rage for those that were following the one called Jesus, just so happened upon an encounter with the One he could have cared less to know. To say, cared less, is an understatement; because Saul was more about putting His ghost to rest. Little did he know, the ghost that he was up against was non other that the Holy Ghost; and the power that he was fighting was the Word of God! This is really not that hard to understand; we all have been there at one time or another. Even those of us that have been raised in the church; even those of us that might have been children of pastors or even evangelist. None of that really matters if there is not a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; because without being born again, none of this stuff we believe makes any sense! The request for God to use His "hand" to "help" us, is not just the simple task of asking for a helping hand; it is taking into account how little we know about what we really need; just like a child cannot determine all the required actions they need to become whatever they desire to be when they grow up; especially not to be great at whatever it is they will do. The hand of God made the universe and our very lives; who else could we possibly trust for help, than the One who is the Creator of heaven and earth! What are God's "precepts," and how do they apply to our broken lives? Well, if you are going to be specific, then they are specific to our individual lives. Yes, the whole idea is that of them being something that is collective; but they are also properly appointed. None of us are completely alike, but we are all of the same Body. You wouldn't need the same cure for a cold as you would for a severed finger; but our God knows what you need before you even ask, before you even have a required need. In other words, these broken lives are not over being broken yet! If you don't think that is so, then try and think you have everything under control...
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:10-13)
Let's be honest about something here, because without God's help, seen and unseen, none of us would know anything about who He is or what He means to us. I don't think half of us that call ourselves Christians really understand the magnitude and power that brought us to the cross. The simple chance that we might be in the right place, at the right time; in the perfect frame of mind, and that the Holy Spirit would soften our heart, in just the right moment; it is more than coincidence, it is all God's doing, right down to the message prepared just for you! I couldn't help but think of Paul, the one that was called Saul; who, while on the road to Damascus, bent with rage for those that were following the one called Jesus, just so happened upon an encounter with the One he could have cared less to know. To say, cared less, is an understatement; because Saul was more about putting His ghost to rest. Little did he know, the ghost that he was up against was non other that the Holy Ghost; and the power that he was fighting was the Word of God! This is really not that hard to understand; we all have been there at one time or another. Even those of us that have been raised in the church; even those of us that might have been children of pastors or even evangelist. None of that really matters if there is not a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; because without being born again, none of this stuff we believe makes any sense! The request for God to use His "hand" to "help" us, is not just the simple task of asking for a helping hand; it is taking into account how little we know about what we really need; just like a child cannot determine all the required actions they need to become whatever they desire to be when they grow up; especially not to be great at whatever it is they will do. The hand of God made the universe and our very lives; who else could we possibly trust for help, than the One who is the Creator of heaven and earth! What are God's "precepts," and how do they apply to our broken lives? Well, if you are going to be specific, then they are specific to our individual lives. Yes, the whole idea is that of them being something that is collective; but they are also properly appointed. None of us are completely alike, but we are all of the same Body. You wouldn't need the same cure for a cold as you would for a severed finger; but our God knows what you need before you even ask, before you even have a required need. In other words, these broken lives are not over being broken yet! If you don't think that is so, then try and think you have everything under control...
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:10-13)
Monday, April 22, 2019
"Breaking of Bread"
"My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness." (Psalms 119:172)
I was so tempted to share on that verse again, as I felt the "Beast of Burden" was not completely let out of the box yet. Nonetheless, another day, another subject; or is it? As many times as we partake in communion, you would think be now the breaking of bread would ring a bell in are heads, at least in our hearts; as it was the symbol Jesus used to show us how His body was broken for us. But wait a minute! What was broken again? Because the last thing I remember was that not a bone in His body was broken, so how was His body broken? Well, His spirit was not broken, that is for sure! No matter how much they humiliated Him, He remained steadfast and determined to complete the work that He had started. So, of all things, yesterday I heard a story of the Flood that I never heard before. It appears that in some culture, the story of the Flood involves a talking turtle; a turtle that came to a surviving brother and sister and told them that they needed to procreate together. Then, they were so upset by what the turtle said, that they smashed the turtle, breaking his shell in pieces. Turns out, another animal came to them and said that the turtle was right, and then they felt bad for what they had done; so they glued the turtle's shell back together. Thus, the reason that the shell of the turtle is in so many sections. I didn't just make that up, it is a legend in some country in Asia. Anywho, the "Commandments" spoken of here are the things we are not to do, "Don't worship other gods," "Don't take the LORD's name in vain," "Don't take something that does not belong to you," and, "Don't do anything else that you are not to do." If you want to talk about things that are broken, then any word God has spoken about these types of commands have been broken over and over again. The way Jesus was broken was by taking on sin! Paul clearly lays this out for us: Broken pieces are put back together again...
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
I was so tempted to share on that verse again, as I felt the "Beast of Burden" was not completely let out of the box yet. Nonetheless, another day, another subject; or is it? As many times as we partake in communion, you would think be now the breaking of bread would ring a bell in are heads, at least in our hearts; as it was the symbol Jesus used to show us how His body was broken for us. But wait a minute! What was broken again? Because the last thing I remember was that not a bone in His body was broken, so how was His body broken? Well, His spirit was not broken, that is for sure! No matter how much they humiliated Him, He remained steadfast and determined to complete the work that He had started. So, of all things, yesterday I heard a story of the Flood that I never heard before. It appears that in some culture, the story of the Flood involves a talking turtle; a turtle that came to a surviving brother and sister and told them that they needed to procreate together. Then, they were so upset by what the turtle said, that they smashed the turtle, breaking his shell in pieces. Turns out, another animal came to them and said that the turtle was right, and then they felt bad for what they had done; so they glued the turtle's shell back together. Thus, the reason that the shell of the turtle is in so many sections. I didn't just make that up, it is a legend in some country in Asia. Anywho, the "Commandments" spoken of here are the things we are not to do, "Don't worship other gods," "Don't take the LORD's name in vain," "Don't take something that does not belong to you," and, "Don't do anything else that you are not to do." If you want to talk about things that are broken, then any word God has spoken about these types of commands have been broken over and over again. The way Jesus was broken was by taking on sin! Paul clearly lays this out for us: Broken pieces are put back together again...
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
Sunday, April 21, 2019
"Beast of Burden"
"My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes." (Psalms 119:171)
Not exactly what I thought I would end up speaking about today; or was it? This could be a subject of many hours of debate; the more you peel back the layers upon layers of what grace looks like, the more fascinating the story becomes. Matthew Henry sums up this verse saying, "Those that pray for God's grace must aim at God's glory," and then he places the address of Ephesians 1:12 at the end of his statement. Defining what grace actually means, it is said to be the free and unmerited favor of God; getting that which we do not deserve! I heard a pastor speaking yesterday, talking about God giving man and angels free will, saying, "What kind of a God would create something that was willing to turn around and tell Him off?" or something to that effect. One command was all that Adam was given to not do something; only one! The word, "Taught," is a word that speaks of chastisement, to strike, to beat with a rod, especially beasts of burden. Something happen on that day, the day when Adam sinned and did the one thing that God told him not to do: separation from the glory of God! Scared and blackened by the power of sin, God immediately covered them with skins; a blood sacrifice was made to provide some kind of fellowship between their fallen state and God's great glory. The one thing that kept Jesus marching forward towards the cross was doing the will of the Father; it was the manifestation of God's glory that gave Him strength and commitment. It also didn't hurt to know how everything would work out; no matter want might happen to His body, it was all going to be restored! As amazing as it all was, Jesus took our place on many different levels; not just dying for our sins, but taking the beating that we deserved. I love that portion of Scripture in Luke 24:13-35; it is where Jesus meets a couple of men talking about the terrible things that had happened to Jesus of Nazareth in Jerusalem. He walks along with them for what must have been several hours, listening to the concerning stories that they told each other, and seeing how upset they were; until He finally says, "What manner of communication are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?" They seriously could not understand how He did not know, saying, "Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?" I love Jesus' answer, "What things?" And then they poured out the terrible story and how this wonderful prophet was crucified; and to make matters worse, someone had stolen his body! What we expect to happen is not always what really happens; what we think that happened, is not always the way it appeared. This is the point to what is being said; because when we see the truth of God's "Prescribed Statutes" our lips will utter praise...
"And they said to one another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in the breaking of bread." (Luke 24:32-35)
Not exactly what I thought I would end up speaking about today; or was it? This could be a subject of many hours of debate; the more you peel back the layers upon layers of what grace looks like, the more fascinating the story becomes. Matthew Henry sums up this verse saying, "Those that pray for God's grace must aim at God's glory," and then he places the address of Ephesians 1:12 at the end of his statement. Defining what grace actually means, it is said to be the free and unmerited favor of God; getting that which we do not deserve! I heard a pastor speaking yesterday, talking about God giving man and angels free will, saying, "What kind of a God would create something that was willing to turn around and tell Him off?" or something to that effect. One command was all that Adam was given to not do something; only one! The word, "Taught," is a word that speaks of chastisement, to strike, to beat with a rod, especially beasts of burden. Something happen on that day, the day when Adam sinned and did the one thing that God told him not to do: separation from the glory of God! Scared and blackened by the power of sin, God immediately covered them with skins; a blood sacrifice was made to provide some kind of fellowship between their fallen state and God's great glory. The one thing that kept Jesus marching forward towards the cross was doing the will of the Father; it was the manifestation of God's glory that gave Him strength and commitment. It also didn't hurt to know how everything would work out; no matter want might happen to His body, it was all going to be restored! As amazing as it all was, Jesus took our place on many different levels; not just dying for our sins, but taking the beating that we deserved. I love that portion of Scripture in Luke 24:13-35; it is where Jesus meets a couple of men talking about the terrible things that had happened to Jesus of Nazareth in Jerusalem. He walks along with them for what must have been several hours, listening to the concerning stories that they told each other, and seeing how upset they were; until He finally says, "What manner of communication are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?" They seriously could not understand how He did not know, saying, "Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?" I love Jesus' answer, "What things?" And then they poured out the terrible story and how this wonderful prophet was crucified; and to make matters worse, someone had stolen his body! What we expect to happen is not always what really happens; what we think that happened, is not always the way it appeared. This is the point to what is being said; because when we see the truth of God's "Prescribed Statutes" our lips will utter praise...
"And they said to one another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in the breaking of bread." (Luke 24:32-35)
Saturday, April 20, 2019
"Distinguishment"
"Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word." (Psalms 119:170)
You have no doubt heard the phrase, "Every cloud has a silver lining," well, this is something that is apparent in each and everyone of God's children. It might not be apparent yet, what you or I will be, but God surely is not done with us yet! As I listened to some answers yesterday to the question, "Why didn't God just send His Son right after Adam and Eve sinned, to prevent all of the sin that would take place afterwards?" I couldn't help but think the caller might not really understand the message of the cross. We must believe that we need to be saved; that without God's intervention and salvation, there is no hope for us to make it on our own. Pastor Mike F. reminded me of a very simple concept, that those who died before Jesus came were looking forward to the salvation that God would be providing, which was like using a credit card for salvation; it was being purchased with funds that were not yet available. Those of us that have been saved after Jesus came, we are using a debit card, because the funds are stored up in an account for us to use. Either way, the funds were always available, and the message of the cross was always there to save. God never ever makes mistakes! We might not be able to figure out why He does what He does, or where a certain circumstance or trial will take us, but God never says, "Oops!" When I started this blog, one of the first few posts that I shared about was God's perfect will. Looking back, I have come to the conclusion that God's will is always perfect, no matter how imperfect it might appear. The example I used at the time was the request that God granted to King Hezekiah, when God added fifteen years unto his life. Several very terrible things happened because of the extra fifteen years Hezekiah was given, but was it still God's perfect will? Isn't Manasseh listed in the genealogy of Christ? All those listed in the genealogy are distinguished people, all of which were used to bring about God's perfect will, no matter how bad that they were or what circumstances and character flaws were attached to their lives, they were still part of God's plan. That word, "deliver," as in, "deliver me according to thy word," is a word that speaks of being snatch up or plucked out. Long story short, this is God's work! He delivers us; we don't even know we need to be delivered unless He lets us know...
"But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist." (Galatians 4:4-8) NLT
You have no doubt heard the phrase, "Every cloud has a silver lining," well, this is something that is apparent in each and everyone of God's children. It might not be apparent yet, what you or I will be, but God surely is not done with us yet! As I listened to some answers yesterday to the question, "Why didn't God just send His Son right after Adam and Eve sinned, to prevent all of the sin that would take place afterwards?" I couldn't help but think the caller might not really understand the message of the cross. We must believe that we need to be saved; that without God's intervention and salvation, there is no hope for us to make it on our own. Pastor Mike F. reminded me of a very simple concept, that those who died before Jesus came were looking forward to the salvation that God would be providing, which was like using a credit card for salvation; it was being purchased with funds that were not yet available. Those of us that have been saved after Jesus came, we are using a debit card, because the funds are stored up in an account for us to use. Either way, the funds were always available, and the message of the cross was always there to save. God never ever makes mistakes! We might not be able to figure out why He does what He does, or where a certain circumstance or trial will take us, but God never says, "Oops!" When I started this blog, one of the first few posts that I shared about was God's perfect will. Looking back, I have come to the conclusion that God's will is always perfect, no matter how imperfect it might appear. The example I used at the time was the request that God granted to King Hezekiah, when God added fifteen years unto his life. Several very terrible things happened because of the extra fifteen years Hezekiah was given, but was it still God's perfect will? Isn't Manasseh listed in the genealogy of Christ? All those listed in the genealogy are distinguished people, all of which were used to bring about God's perfect will, no matter how bad that they were or what circumstances and character flaws were attached to their lives, they were still part of God's plan. That word, "deliver," as in, "deliver me according to thy word," is a word that speaks of being snatch up or plucked out. Long story short, this is God's work! He delivers us; we don't even know we need to be delivered unless He lets us know...
"But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist." (Galatians 4:4-8) NLT
Friday, April 19, 2019
"TAU"
"Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word." (Psalms 119:169)
There are many things about this day that are worthy of debate; the resurrection of those saints that took place, might be one that qualifies. Jesus assigning John and His mother to be united as son and mother, that might also qualify for a discussion about the meaning; if you think that there was some spiritual reasoning behind what Jesus did. Maybe the debate over why Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" is worthy of consideration; as some might have an issue with the question on whether or not the Father had turned His back on His Son. Personally, I do not agree with that assumption, based upon the love that the Father had for the Son, and based upon the love the Father had for the world; why come all this way to do something that pleased Him so much to do, only to look away upon its completion? No, in my opinion, the abandonment was caused by separation; and for the very first time, in all eternity, the Father and the Son were separated due to the Son taking on the sins of the entire world! By the way, if the Father did look away, then how was sin judged? No, if it comes right down to it, I would be under the opinion that the Father looked on more intently, to see the sins, all of our sins, judged and the penalty satisfied, once and for all! After all, was not that the whole point to the Rainbow, if that is worthy of debate or not? Which brings me to the biggest debate issue of the day: Who suffered the most, the Son or the Father? 'Turn away? Not today!' That is what I believe the Father would say! Oddly enough, the word, "understanding," is a word that means to separate; to stand apart, to be separate and distinct. Is it not our duty as people have been chosen for a particular purpose, to understand our purpose and then to separate ourselves from anything that goes against that purpose? Isn't that exactly what Jesus did? If you examine the historical figures of the Bible, you will find that same characteristic in each and everyone of them; and if they fell short, it was because what they did went against the purpose they were called to perform; or did it really? This cry that David is speaking of is just that, a cry of shame and unworthiness to come near a Holy God; the request alone is predicated upon the need to somehow be accounted worthy enough to be heard. And yet, understanding, when compared against God's word, God's word takes precedence...
"My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy." (Proverbs 2:1-10) NLT
There are many things about this day that are worthy of debate; the resurrection of those saints that took place, might be one that qualifies. Jesus assigning John and His mother to be united as son and mother, that might also qualify for a discussion about the meaning; if you think that there was some spiritual reasoning behind what Jesus did. Maybe the debate over why Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" is worthy of consideration; as some might have an issue with the question on whether or not the Father had turned His back on His Son. Personally, I do not agree with that assumption, based upon the love that the Father had for the Son, and based upon the love the Father had for the world; why come all this way to do something that pleased Him so much to do, only to look away upon its completion? No, in my opinion, the abandonment was caused by separation; and for the very first time, in all eternity, the Father and the Son were separated due to the Son taking on the sins of the entire world! By the way, if the Father did look away, then how was sin judged? No, if it comes right down to it, I would be under the opinion that the Father looked on more intently, to see the sins, all of our sins, judged and the penalty satisfied, once and for all! After all, was not that the whole point to the Rainbow, if that is worthy of debate or not? Which brings me to the biggest debate issue of the day: Who suffered the most, the Son or the Father? 'Turn away? Not today!' That is what I believe the Father would say! Oddly enough, the word, "understanding," is a word that means to separate; to stand apart, to be separate and distinct. Is it not our duty as people have been chosen for a particular purpose, to understand our purpose and then to separate ourselves from anything that goes against that purpose? Isn't that exactly what Jesus did? If you examine the historical figures of the Bible, you will find that same characteristic in each and everyone of them; and if they fell short, it was because what they did went against the purpose they were called to perform; or did it really? This cry that David is speaking of is just that, a cry of shame and unworthiness to come near a Holy God; the request alone is predicated upon the need to somehow be accounted worthy enough to be heard. And yet, understanding, when compared against God's word, God's word takes precedence...
"My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy." (Proverbs 2:1-10) NLT
Thursday, April 18, 2019
"Soul Search"
"I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee." (Psalms 119:168)
If the times line up just right, then today would be the day that Jesus is to be betrayed; for this would be the day that Judas plotted to turn over Jesus to the ones that wanted to have Him killed. It was no secret from Jesus, because Jesus knew long before that this day was coming. If you study the way that Passover began, it was a very interesting time with very interesting circumstances. Communication between Pharaoh and Moses had been cut off, as Pharaoh had instructed Moses not to show his face to him again, and Moses agreed with what he said. But God was far from done speaking, to not only Moses, but to to entire people of Israel, and even to all of Egypt. What today would be, would be the preparation for the Passover; which is the day when All Firstborn Must Die. Crazy as this might sound, but it was exactly what it says, All Firstborn Must Die! No Way, You Say? Yes, it is as I say, because God specifically said that All Firstborn Must Die; but He made a way out, and He gave very specific instructions on how it was to be done; thus, today is the preparation day for what tomorrow would bring. That is the point of this title and the word I feel God speaking into my heart; that this is a day of preparation, as is every day; a day when we examine the condition that our soul is kept, and consider the eternal standing. The point to this is that of us making sure that we have all things in order; that everything is confessed and all things are safely covered by the blood of Christ. Of all the things that made no sense, but all the sense in the whole scheme of things, was how God had instructed His people to stay behind their closed doors. They were dressed and prepared for travel! In a very similar way, this would be the day that Jesus would do the same with His disciples, to prepare them for what was at hand. How do you prepare someone for what was going to take place, when what is going to take place escapes all there understanding? Quite frankly, it is all in God's hands, so relax and enjoy the ride...
"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving us his Son as a sacrifice for our sins." (Romans 8:1-3) NLT
If the times line up just right, then today would be the day that Jesus is to be betrayed; for this would be the day that Judas plotted to turn over Jesus to the ones that wanted to have Him killed. It was no secret from Jesus, because Jesus knew long before that this day was coming. If you study the way that Passover began, it was a very interesting time with very interesting circumstances. Communication between Pharaoh and Moses had been cut off, as Pharaoh had instructed Moses not to show his face to him again, and Moses agreed with what he said. But God was far from done speaking, to not only Moses, but to to entire people of Israel, and even to all of Egypt. What today would be, would be the preparation for the Passover; which is the day when All Firstborn Must Die. Crazy as this might sound, but it was exactly what it says, All Firstborn Must Die! No Way, You Say? Yes, it is as I say, because God specifically said that All Firstborn Must Die; but He made a way out, and He gave very specific instructions on how it was to be done; thus, today is the preparation day for what tomorrow would bring. That is the point of this title and the word I feel God speaking into my heart; that this is a day of preparation, as is every day; a day when we examine the condition that our soul is kept, and consider the eternal standing. The point to this is that of us making sure that we have all things in order; that everything is confessed and all things are safely covered by the blood of Christ. Of all the things that made no sense, but all the sense in the whole scheme of things, was how God had instructed His people to stay behind their closed doors. They were dressed and prepared for travel! In a very similar way, this would be the day that Jesus would do the same with His disciples, to prepare them for what was at hand. How do you prepare someone for what was going to take place, when what is going to take place escapes all there understanding? Quite frankly, it is all in God's hands, so relax and enjoy the ride...
"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving us his Son as a sacrifice for our sins." (Romans 8:1-3) NLT
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
"Soul Stretch"
"My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly." (Psalms 119:167)
Believe it or not, but there is really a thing called, "Soul Stretch;" it turns out to be Christian Yoga. I guess as long as you call it Christian, then it must be alright, Right? It could be a little bit of a stretch, but as long as you don't start transporting your soul, you should remain in the bounds of Christianity. Anywho, this is a model of what it actually means to be a Christian; to keep His testimonies, and to love them exceedingly! First of all, you should not feel left out if this is not 100% true of you. No matter how hard you might try, you are not going to be able to keep all of God's Ten Commandments; so it is not about that. If you doubt me, then you should do a quick study on the book of Galatians. That said, the one thing that we can keep, with great enthusiasm and love, are His testimonies and precepts! If you are wondering how that is any different than His law, the testimonies and precepts of God are His! Duh! Truth be known, there is really nothing about our testimonies and precepts that can contribute to the morals of mankind. Sure, we have a hero now and again that we can look up to, but there is really only one that can be called righteous, and He was nailed to a cross! So then, what is it that we are to keep? Don't you read and understand Romans 7:14-25 well enough to get that answer? To put it in a way that might make some kind of sense; we are reunited with the Spirit of God, and it is our soul that is thirsty for and longing for the testimonies and precepts of God; our flesh is more interested in other things, like things that make it feel good, for how ever that might last. It is our soul that is more focused on the eternal, being guided and directed by the Holy Spirit. But you might ask, Isn't our flesh guided by the Spirit also? "O wretched man that I am," Paul would say, not because of his soul, but because of his flesh! Someone needs to win the argument; and it had better be the one that is going to live the longest...
"I have discovered this principle of life -that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin." (Romans 7:21-25) NLT
Believe it or not, but there is really a thing called, "Soul Stretch;" it turns out to be Christian Yoga. I guess as long as you call it Christian, then it must be alright, Right? It could be a little bit of a stretch, but as long as you don't start transporting your soul, you should remain in the bounds of Christianity. Anywho, this is a model of what it actually means to be a Christian; to keep His testimonies, and to love them exceedingly! First of all, you should not feel left out if this is not 100% true of you. No matter how hard you might try, you are not going to be able to keep all of God's Ten Commandments; so it is not about that. If you doubt me, then you should do a quick study on the book of Galatians. That said, the one thing that we can keep, with great enthusiasm and love, are His testimonies and precepts! If you are wondering how that is any different than His law, the testimonies and precepts of God are His! Duh! Truth be known, there is really nothing about our testimonies and precepts that can contribute to the morals of mankind. Sure, we have a hero now and again that we can look up to, but there is really only one that can be called righteous, and He was nailed to a cross! So then, what is it that we are to keep? Don't you read and understand Romans 7:14-25 well enough to get that answer? To put it in a way that might make some kind of sense; we are reunited with the Spirit of God, and it is our soul that is thirsty for and longing for the testimonies and precepts of God; our flesh is more interested in other things, like things that make it feel good, for how ever that might last. It is our soul that is more focused on the eternal, being guided and directed by the Holy Spirit. But you might ask, Isn't our flesh guided by the Spirit also? "O wretched man that I am," Paul would say, not because of his soul, but because of his flesh! Someone needs to win the argument; and it had better be the one that is going to live the longest...
"I have discovered this principle of life -that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin." (Romans 7:21-25) NLT
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
"Point of View"
"LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments." (Psalms 119:166)
This is quite simply the way it needs to be; we cannot have one without the other: We must be, with all certainty, Won and Done! Matthew Henry puts it like this: "The more lively the hope is the more lively the obedience will be." When you examine the word, "hope," you find that to be the meaning, to examine, To Look At! It it something that we must inspect, both from the view of earth to heaven, and from heaven to our hearts. In other words, we are not just looking at where we long for, but we examine what it is that God has done in us. To make this point even sharper still, the meaning of the word, "salvation," is that of victory or deliverance; "that which is delivered safe!" Yes, God is one day going to point to us, but right now, we are pointing to Him! It is all His doing and we must be looking at it with all excitement and anticipation for what it is that He has done, is doing, and will do in our lives; that is how hope becomes lively, it is alive! But you might ask, How do we look at what God will do, especially when we can hardy grasp what He is doing? Thus be the title of this post; it is all based upon our point of view. Where are we looking and what are we looking for? "Keep your eyes on Jesus!" There is absolutely nothing more important than the thing that matters most, because He has finished the work that we struggle to finish day in and day out. Another way to look at this is to imagine yourself being in a special Spaceship that is headed into eternity. That Ship is Christ Jesus and He has not only placed you in it, but just as He had done for Noah and his family, He has shut the door and made you safe! One of the things that the Lord reminded me of this morning was part of the prayer He taught His disciples to pray, the part that says, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." The kingdom of God is likened to that! It is God's will that you make it into Heaven...
"Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves of sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:5-11) NLT
This is quite simply the way it needs to be; we cannot have one without the other: We must be, with all certainty, Won and Done! Matthew Henry puts it like this: "The more lively the hope is the more lively the obedience will be." When you examine the word, "hope," you find that to be the meaning, to examine, To Look At! It it something that we must inspect, both from the view of earth to heaven, and from heaven to our hearts. In other words, we are not just looking at where we long for, but we examine what it is that God has done in us. To make this point even sharper still, the meaning of the word, "salvation," is that of victory or deliverance; "that which is delivered safe!" Yes, God is one day going to point to us, but right now, we are pointing to Him! It is all His doing and we must be looking at it with all excitement and anticipation for what it is that He has done, is doing, and will do in our lives; that is how hope becomes lively, it is alive! But you might ask, How do we look at what God will do, especially when we can hardy grasp what He is doing? Thus be the title of this post; it is all based upon our point of view. Where are we looking and what are we looking for? "Keep your eyes on Jesus!" There is absolutely nothing more important than the thing that matters most, because He has finished the work that we struggle to finish day in and day out. Another way to look at this is to imagine yourself being in a special Spaceship that is headed into eternity. That Ship is Christ Jesus and He has not only placed you in it, but just as He had done for Noah and his family, He has shut the door and made you safe! One of the things that the Lord reminded me of this morning was part of the prayer He taught His disciples to pray, the part that says, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." The kingdom of God is likened to that! It is God's will that you make it into Heaven...
"Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves of sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:5-11) NLT
Monday, April 15, 2019
"Friends With God"
"Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." (Psalms 119:165)
Some things come easier than others; being friends with God is probably the easiest things that we can do! How so, you might ask? Well, to begin with, there is no one that loves you as much as God loves you; so, if you need a friend that will never leave you, no matter what, there is none better or easier to cling to; absolutely none! I couldn't help think of Peter, as I was reading this verse this morning. Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him; but the third time was the one that cut him to his core, because it was the one that ask if he loved Him as a friend. Jesus said it Himself: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) So, with that, we need to ask ourselves, What does it mean to love His law? The law spoken of is that of instruction or doctrine; a thing that we follow because there is simply no other way that makes us feel the way this way does! I liken it to Peter's answer to the question Jesus asked when many that followed Him turned away, He said, "Will ye also go away?" And Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." (John 6:67-68) This is why nothing shall offend us, because there is simply no greater love that we can ever experience like the love we find in God. I watched a movie the other night that spoke to this, and it showed a woman that went from being a strong believer to being very judgmental of God; acting as if God was not interested in her prayers and that He was leaving her on her own in the greatest trial of her life. Funny, or not so funny, but the thing that should make us take notice when that might happen to us or someone around us, is that was exactly what everyone else said, who loved Jesus, when He was hanging on the cross. The words that Jesus spoke last, are very good words to practice saying, just in case you find yourself thinking that He has abandoned you...
"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:" and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." (Luke 23:46)
Some things come easier than others; being friends with God is probably the easiest things that we can do! How so, you might ask? Well, to begin with, there is no one that loves you as much as God loves you; so, if you need a friend that will never leave you, no matter what, there is none better or easier to cling to; absolutely none! I couldn't help think of Peter, as I was reading this verse this morning. Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him; but the third time was the one that cut him to his core, because it was the one that ask if he loved Him as a friend. Jesus said it Himself: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) So, with that, we need to ask ourselves, What does it mean to love His law? The law spoken of is that of instruction or doctrine; a thing that we follow because there is simply no other way that makes us feel the way this way does! I liken it to Peter's answer to the question Jesus asked when many that followed Him turned away, He said, "Will ye also go away?" And Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." (John 6:67-68) This is why nothing shall offend us, because there is simply no greater love that we can ever experience like the love we find in God. I watched a movie the other night that spoke to this, and it showed a woman that went from being a strong believer to being very judgmental of God; acting as if God was not interested in her prayers and that He was leaving her on her own in the greatest trial of her life. Funny, or not so funny, but the thing that should make us take notice when that might happen to us or someone around us, is that was exactly what everyone else said, who loved Jesus, when He was hanging on the cross. The words that Jesus spoke last, are very good words to practice saying, just in case you find yourself thinking that He has abandoned you...
"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:" and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." (Luke 23:46)
Sunday, April 14, 2019
"Like Clockwork"
"Seven times a day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous judgments." (Psalms 119:164)
Although we have some pretty strange practices, whether it might be the direction we might turn, not stepping on lines, or saying, "God Bless You," after someone sneezes, this practice of praising God seven times a day is a real thing; at least it was in David's day. It is believed that they would praise Him twice in the morning before devotions, and then once after; and twice in the evening before reading, and then twice after. Seven is thought of as the number of completion, so it was for Peter as he asked Jesus, "How many times shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Seven?" Thinking he might have hit the nail on the head, he was not even close; because Jesus replied, "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." Personally, I would like to try and praise the Lord at least as many times a day as I might sin; at least that might be my intention. But, if truth be told, it might depend upon my mood and whether or not I might feel offended by someone, or whether or not I just want some sympathy; or, believe it or not, whether I might just feel like I want to enjoy my sin for a little while. You know, the point in time when David sinned with Bathsheba, it was the time when the kings went out to war; and where was David? he was hanging back in Jerusalem feeling like getting a little naughty! How to powerful men of God fall? "Eclairs in the refrigerator," that is how! Actually it is two part, action with a reaction; the first part is storing up something that you do not intend to use, the second is putting a condition on a chance to use it. The first part is the act of taking something you know that you should not partake of, and putting away, just because you don't want to throw it out. The second, is the reactionary part; where you know you are not meant to go there, but if there is a parking spot in just the right place, then it is meant to be. Stop! Don't let the enemy take advantage of your weakness! If you store up the opportunity to sin, you will create on opportunity to sin; and guess what will happen? the enemy will play right into your plan. Just like clockwork, all the gears will fall into the right place, and you go boom; down for the count. (No pun intended.) If you want to talk about responsibility, the bigger they are, the harder they fall, does not just apply to literal giants. You know what else is so amazing, is God's righteous judgments...
"After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, "Praise the LORD! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. His judgments are true and just. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the murder of his servants." And again their voices rang out: "Praise the LORD! The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!" Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshipped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried, "Amen! Praise the LORD!" And from the throne came a voice that said, "Praise our God, all his servants, all who fear him, from the least to the greatest." (Revelation 19:1-5) NLT
Although we have some pretty strange practices, whether it might be the direction we might turn, not stepping on lines, or saying, "God Bless You," after someone sneezes, this practice of praising God seven times a day is a real thing; at least it was in David's day. It is believed that they would praise Him twice in the morning before devotions, and then once after; and twice in the evening before reading, and then twice after. Seven is thought of as the number of completion, so it was for Peter as he asked Jesus, "How many times shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Seven?" Thinking he might have hit the nail on the head, he was not even close; because Jesus replied, "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." Personally, I would like to try and praise the Lord at least as many times a day as I might sin; at least that might be my intention. But, if truth be told, it might depend upon my mood and whether or not I might feel offended by someone, or whether or not I just want some sympathy; or, believe it or not, whether I might just feel like I want to enjoy my sin for a little while. You know, the point in time when David sinned with Bathsheba, it was the time when the kings went out to war; and where was David? he was hanging back in Jerusalem feeling like getting a little naughty! How to powerful men of God fall? "Eclairs in the refrigerator," that is how! Actually it is two part, action with a reaction; the first part is storing up something that you do not intend to use, the second is putting a condition on a chance to use it. The first part is the act of taking something you know that you should not partake of, and putting away, just because you don't want to throw it out. The second, is the reactionary part; where you know you are not meant to go there, but if there is a parking spot in just the right place, then it is meant to be. Stop! Don't let the enemy take advantage of your weakness! If you store up the opportunity to sin, you will create on opportunity to sin; and guess what will happen? the enemy will play right into your plan. Just like clockwork, all the gears will fall into the right place, and you go boom; down for the count. (No pun intended.) If you want to talk about responsibility, the bigger they are, the harder they fall, does not just apply to literal giants. You know what else is so amazing, is God's righteous judgments...
"After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, "Praise the LORD! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. His judgments are true and just. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the murder of his servants." And again their voices rang out: "Praise the LORD! The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!" Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshipped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried, "Amen! Praise the LORD!" And from the throne came a voice that said, "Praise our God, all his servants, all who fear him, from the least to the greatest." (Revelation 19:1-5) NLT
Saturday, April 13, 2019
"Breath of Fresh Air"
"I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love." (Psalms 119:163)
I you are a fan of Dr. Chuck, then you are familiar with some of his teachings on, "Beyond Space and Time." We have no idea what is waiting ahead, except that our minds will be blown! Paul gives his rendition of what might have been a visit as not a light, but a sound, something that was beyond the ability to translate or share. (2 Corinthians 12:4) Whatever the case may be, whether light or sound, we must know and understand that it is going to be amazing! Glory is a word that puts it lightly, because the four and twenty elders can't say it enough! Let's just say that we are in Good Hands: if the Bible is truth, the only thing that we need to worry about is not believing, because the rest is all up to Him! Given that perspective, we can approach this verse that we have before us from the right side of reality, reality being the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent, as opposed to that which is merely imaginary. Matthew Henry relates, "lying," as expressed by David, to sin. It should make perfect sense to consider anyone that might think they can get away with sin, to only be lying to themselves; the whole point of Jeremiah 17:9 is that of deceitfulness, which pretty much is all based upon a lie. The word "law" represents instruction or doctrine; in any case, it totally represents direction, as in the direction in which someone is headed or going based upon what you are following. It just so happens, Jesus has a habit of saying, "Follow Me," to almost everyone that He cared about. He also was very informative, saying, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) We can argue about certain aspects of the rapture or how old the earth actually is, but we cannot touch the importance of following Jesus Christ! You are either with Him or you're not, simple as that...
""He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."" (John 3:18-21)
I you are a fan of Dr. Chuck, then you are familiar with some of his teachings on, "Beyond Space and Time." We have no idea what is waiting ahead, except that our minds will be blown! Paul gives his rendition of what might have been a visit as not a light, but a sound, something that was beyond the ability to translate or share. (2 Corinthians 12:4) Whatever the case may be, whether light or sound, we must know and understand that it is going to be amazing! Glory is a word that puts it lightly, because the four and twenty elders can't say it enough! Let's just say that we are in Good Hands: if the Bible is truth, the only thing that we need to worry about is not believing, because the rest is all up to Him! Given that perspective, we can approach this verse that we have before us from the right side of reality, reality being the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent, as opposed to that which is merely imaginary. Matthew Henry relates, "lying," as expressed by David, to sin. It should make perfect sense to consider anyone that might think they can get away with sin, to only be lying to themselves; the whole point of Jeremiah 17:9 is that of deceitfulness, which pretty much is all based upon a lie. The word "law" represents instruction or doctrine; in any case, it totally represents direction, as in the direction in which someone is headed or going based upon what you are following. It just so happens, Jesus has a habit of saying, "Follow Me," to almost everyone that He cared about. He also was very informative, saying, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) We can argue about certain aspects of the rapture or how old the earth actually is, but we cannot touch the importance of following Jesus Christ! You are either with Him or you're not, simple as that...
""He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."" (John 3:18-21)
Friday, April 12, 2019
"Spoiler Alert"
"I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil." (Psalms 119:162)
Talk about responsibility, what more can we do or say to make known the kindness of our God; it should be enough to take our breath away, let alone make us have the words to speak. If you notice the word "at" and how it changes that meaning to a direction. One might assume that it means the ability to read the word, as in looking at the pages with the passages written upon them; but I think it means something entirely more thrilling and important! This word means utterance, which is what David receives from the LORD, spoken words of encouragement and promises that extend far beyond this mortal existence! There is a song by Mercy Me that describes some of what this might look like, it is called "Grace Got you," and it says, "Smile, like you got away with something. Why? 'Cause you just got away with something, Ever since, ever since, Grace got you." Matthew Henry puts the old-school twist on this, by saying, "By the word of God we become more than conquerers, that is, unspeakable gainers." If the parable of the buried treasure and the very beautiful pearl were about you and I, then this would speak to that excitement: Sell all that you have and grab as much of it as you can, because this is too good to be true! Do you not know how much God loves you? Take into consideration all the terrible things that you have ever done, and then remind yourself how God not only knew them beforehand, but He marked you as one of His own, even knowing what He knew! Talk about a spoiler alert! We might think that if and when we make it to heaven we will be feeling such relief, saying, 'Lord, I was really worried there for a moment,' but the Lord will reply, 'I was never worried about you making it, because you have been here all alone! We have always been one!' Okay, so that might be over the top, to say the least; but think about the possibilities...
""And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one -as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. "I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom thou have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began."" (John 17:19-24) NLT
Talk about responsibility, what more can we do or say to make known the kindness of our God; it should be enough to take our breath away, let alone make us have the words to speak. If you notice the word "at" and how it changes that meaning to a direction. One might assume that it means the ability to read the word, as in looking at the pages with the passages written upon them; but I think it means something entirely more thrilling and important! This word means utterance, which is what David receives from the LORD, spoken words of encouragement and promises that extend far beyond this mortal existence! There is a song by Mercy Me that describes some of what this might look like, it is called "Grace Got you," and it says, "Smile, like you got away with something. Why? 'Cause you just got away with something, Ever since, ever since, Grace got you." Matthew Henry puts the old-school twist on this, by saying, "By the word of God we become more than conquerers, that is, unspeakable gainers." If the parable of the buried treasure and the very beautiful pearl were about you and I, then this would speak to that excitement: Sell all that you have and grab as much of it as you can, because this is too good to be true! Do you not know how much God loves you? Take into consideration all the terrible things that you have ever done, and then remind yourself how God not only knew them beforehand, but He marked you as one of His own, even knowing what He knew! Talk about a spoiler alert! We might think that if and when we make it to heaven we will be feeling such relief, saying, 'Lord, I was really worried there for a moment,' but the Lord will reply, 'I was never worried about you making it, because you have been here all alone! We have always been one!' Okay, so that might be over the top, to say the least; but think about the possibilities...
""And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one -as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. "I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom thou have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began."" (John 17:19-24) NLT
Thursday, April 11, 2019
"SHIN"
"Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word." (Psalms 119:161)
I am just a little curious how this all plays out. Each and every morning is being met with a curious heart that wants to see what God might say next, or how the challenge is turned into a lesson in the art of listening. This is one of those mornings when I feel as though there is a fog around me and I cannot wrap my head around any certain thought. Can anyone relate? Well, if it is anything similar to what David might have been experiencing, we can at least gain a little perspective on how it feels to be against the wall and discouraged by the strength of your persecutors. If there is anything to take on what that might feel like, it is the focus upon God's word; not just the word written and learned, this is about the spoken word, as in, the words that David knows his God has spoken to or about him. Not that I have anything close to what David experienced communing with God, but I do believe that He speaks to me now and again. The thing that makes this very special is that David was living out what God was speaking; almost as if it were scripted and set in stone. If we are going to look at this with any sort of law associated with it, it would be that of respect and gratitude to be chosen by God. Not that I am trying to associate myself with any part of this; but it is a fact that God has chosen each and every one of us for a certain purpose or calling. It is our responsibility to determine what that is and how to apply it to our everyday life. Maybe that's it, the law of responsibility, as in, we all have been given talents, some just a few, some quite a lot; but each and every one of us are responsible for that which we have been given. It is really not a matter of how we perform what God has put before us, it is more about how we summit to be used of God. We should never set out to do anything by the book, as if it is this way or that way, because God uses everyone as He sees fit. If we study the parable of the Talents, we might just find that it was the wicked servants big mistake to assume something that simply was not the case. In other words, the responsibility over a talent is given over to the talent; you cannot just bury it in the ground and expect that it will all work out. Pray over it, practice it, and live it out! What is the connection to what David is sharing here? Matthew Henry gives three Scripture references in the commenting on this verse, the first being 1 Samuel 26:19, which is when David spares Saul's life, and then reminded Saul of the power the he yielded. The second is from Ecclesiastes 5:8, which is Solomon's way of saying, the buck stops at God, so don't pay any attention to that guy behind the curtain. And the third, much like responsibility for talents, is about the thing that matters most of all...
""Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I'll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he's the one to fear. "What is the price of five sparrows -two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. "I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God's angels. But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God's angels."" (Luke 12:4-9) NLT
I am just a little curious how this all plays out. Each and every morning is being met with a curious heart that wants to see what God might say next, or how the challenge is turned into a lesson in the art of listening. This is one of those mornings when I feel as though there is a fog around me and I cannot wrap my head around any certain thought. Can anyone relate? Well, if it is anything similar to what David might have been experiencing, we can at least gain a little perspective on how it feels to be against the wall and discouraged by the strength of your persecutors. If there is anything to take on what that might feel like, it is the focus upon God's word; not just the word written and learned, this is about the spoken word, as in, the words that David knows his God has spoken to or about him. Not that I have anything close to what David experienced communing with God, but I do believe that He speaks to me now and again. The thing that makes this very special is that David was living out what God was speaking; almost as if it were scripted and set in stone. If we are going to look at this with any sort of law associated with it, it would be that of respect and gratitude to be chosen by God. Not that I am trying to associate myself with any part of this; but it is a fact that God has chosen each and every one of us for a certain purpose or calling. It is our responsibility to determine what that is and how to apply it to our everyday life. Maybe that's it, the law of responsibility, as in, we all have been given talents, some just a few, some quite a lot; but each and every one of us are responsible for that which we have been given. It is really not a matter of how we perform what God has put before us, it is more about how we summit to be used of God. We should never set out to do anything by the book, as if it is this way or that way, because God uses everyone as He sees fit. If we study the parable of the Talents, we might just find that it was the wicked servants big mistake to assume something that simply was not the case. In other words, the responsibility over a talent is given over to the talent; you cannot just bury it in the ground and expect that it will all work out. Pray over it, practice it, and live it out! What is the connection to what David is sharing here? Matthew Henry gives three Scripture references in the commenting on this verse, the first being 1 Samuel 26:19, which is when David spares Saul's life, and then reminded Saul of the power the he yielded. The second is from Ecclesiastes 5:8, which is Solomon's way of saying, the buck stops at God, so don't pay any attention to that guy behind the curtain. And the third, much like responsibility for talents, is about the thing that matters most of all...
""Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I'll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he's the one to fear. "What is the price of five sparrows -two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. "I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God's angels. But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God's angels."" (Luke 12:4-9) NLT
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
"Enduring Love"
"Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever." (Psalms 119:160)
Thanks for sticking in there, those of you who might like a little challenge, now and again. To get right down to it, we must understand our brokenness and our need for God's mercy and grace. If there is a law that describes where these eight verses must take us, it would be the law of the cross. If you like to compare the Old and New Testaments, seeing how they line up with one another, there is one major illustration found throughout both of them: We do not make it without God getting us there! As plain as that is to see, there are countless religions that will try and make it more about us doing what it takes to get it done; which is just the opposite of what God wants us to do. I know that I will mess this up, it is just the way things go. We are broken and in need of a Savior, and without God making the way for us to be saved, we have no chance at all of making it on our own! The Stumbling Block that God has placed in the way, is Jesus Christ and the cross that He paid the price upon. We must fall humbly upon that Rock and beg for mercy; and those that choose not to, will ultimately be crushed by the same Rock; not because they are found guilty of sin, but because they refused to accept God's provision of mercy, His love! I don't care where you are in the Old Testament, any place that you are reading right now, there is the message of the Gospel to be found, some how, some way, each and every Scripture written points to Christ and the redeeming work of God's love; a love that has endured throughout the ages, even from the very first command, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." This was not God restricting man from something, this was God protecting man from something that would cause death! "Surely," pretty much means that it is guaranteed to happen; unlike the lie of the devil, saying, "Ye shall not surely die." Which brings me to the most important part of this portion of Scripture: GOD"S WORD IS TRUE...
"Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right." (2 Timothy 3:12-16) NLT
Thanks for sticking in there, those of you who might like a little challenge, now and again. To get right down to it, we must understand our brokenness and our need for God's mercy and grace. If there is a law that describes where these eight verses must take us, it would be the law of the cross. If you like to compare the Old and New Testaments, seeing how they line up with one another, there is one major illustration found throughout both of them: We do not make it without God getting us there! As plain as that is to see, there are countless religions that will try and make it more about us doing what it takes to get it done; which is just the opposite of what God wants us to do. I know that I will mess this up, it is just the way things go. We are broken and in need of a Savior, and without God making the way for us to be saved, we have no chance at all of making it on our own! The Stumbling Block that God has placed in the way, is Jesus Christ and the cross that He paid the price upon. We must fall humbly upon that Rock and beg for mercy; and those that choose not to, will ultimately be crushed by the same Rock; not because they are found guilty of sin, but because they refused to accept God's provision of mercy, His love! I don't care where you are in the Old Testament, any place that you are reading right now, there is the message of the Gospel to be found, some how, some way, each and every Scripture written points to Christ and the redeeming work of God's love; a love that has endured throughout the ages, even from the very first command, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." This was not God restricting man from something, this was God protecting man from something that would cause death! "Surely," pretty much means that it is guaranteed to happen; unlike the lie of the devil, saying, "Ye shall not surely die." Which brings me to the most important part of this portion of Scripture: GOD"S WORD IS TRUE...
"Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right." (2 Timothy 3:12-16) NLT
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
"Fight the Fight"
"Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness." (Psalms 119:159)
When it comes to our walk, there are some things that we need to remain somewhat constant in the fight; listed above are probably three of the most important things that we must hold near and dear to our hearts and keep at the forefront of our minds. The first of which, and I share this with a very strong degree of caution, is that we understand what we are and where it is that God wants us to be. There are some things about each and every one of us that is consistent with who we are; there is just no getting around it. The more we try to correct it, the more it fights back and makes us feel defeat. The way Matthew Henry puts this, is to notice how David does not say, 'Consider how I keep thy precepts,' because David knew in his heart that he fell short in that regard; but he did love God's precepts, because they were always the best ways to live and to be blessed. It is just a simple fact, God's ways are always the best ways; they might not be easy to follow, but they are pretty simple to understand; God really does not try to make them very complicated, it is our doing or undoing of them that makes them complicated. So, in the sake of time, this first area in the arena for those that fight, is to understand that we are weak and broken fighters, and that the fight we fight is not ours, but God's! He is the one who yields the power; He is the one who has all the strength; we are merely tools or vessels in His hand; as such, we must yield our lives over to Him to be used. You know that saying, "80% of success is showing up!" Well that counts for something here, because that is what David is trying to say, as he asked God to consider how he loves His precepts. The second most important thing is that God must change us, we cannot change ourselves. Try all you want, but just like a orange tree cannot become an apple tree; but if God wants it to happen, then it will; you can bet on it happening! This is a little like the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, the one Jesus asked, "Wilt thou be made whole?" If there is any kind of fight that must be in us, it needs to be the will for God to change us, to heal us, and to make us victorious! (Whatever it takes, Lord, have your way in me! Lord, you know all things, you see how far short I fall, even though I set out to do all that you tell me to do; now change me, O Lord, and make me more like you!) Which brings us to the third and most important thing to any soldier who fights in God's army: He has overcome the world and given us the victory! Seriously, there is nothing we need to be afraid of, no matter how hard things might get, because the victory is ours; we are His kids, He is not going to do anything but love us, rest assured...
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:1-5)
When it comes to our walk, there are some things that we need to remain somewhat constant in the fight; listed above are probably three of the most important things that we must hold near and dear to our hearts and keep at the forefront of our minds. The first of which, and I share this with a very strong degree of caution, is that we understand what we are and where it is that God wants us to be. There are some things about each and every one of us that is consistent with who we are; there is just no getting around it. The more we try to correct it, the more it fights back and makes us feel defeat. The way Matthew Henry puts this, is to notice how David does not say, 'Consider how I keep thy precepts,' because David knew in his heart that he fell short in that regard; but he did love God's precepts, because they were always the best ways to live and to be blessed. It is just a simple fact, God's ways are always the best ways; they might not be easy to follow, but they are pretty simple to understand; God really does not try to make them very complicated, it is our doing or undoing of them that makes them complicated. So, in the sake of time, this first area in the arena for those that fight, is to understand that we are weak and broken fighters, and that the fight we fight is not ours, but God's! He is the one who yields the power; He is the one who has all the strength; we are merely tools or vessels in His hand; as such, we must yield our lives over to Him to be used. You know that saying, "80% of success is showing up!" Well that counts for something here, because that is what David is trying to say, as he asked God to consider how he loves His precepts. The second most important thing is that God must change us, we cannot change ourselves. Try all you want, but just like a orange tree cannot become an apple tree; but if God wants it to happen, then it will; you can bet on it happening! This is a little like the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, the one Jesus asked, "Wilt thou be made whole?" If there is any kind of fight that must be in us, it needs to be the will for God to change us, to heal us, and to make us victorious! (Whatever it takes, Lord, have your way in me! Lord, you know all things, you see how far short I fall, even though I set out to do all that you tell me to do; now change me, O Lord, and make me more like you!) Which brings us to the third and most important thing to any soldier who fights in God's army: He has overcome the world and given us the victory! Seriously, there is nothing we need to be afraid of, no matter how hard things might get, because the victory is ours; we are His kids, He is not going to do anything but love us, rest assured...
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:1-5)
Monday, April 8, 2019
"The Wild Side"
"I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word." (Psalms 119:158)
Taking into account the seriousness of the time, being that He coming is imminent, it is hard to ignore the way this world has taken a turn for the worst. Never mind that our children are being instructed in the perversions of the world from the ages of five and six; but the way parents have bought into the whole lie about gender neutrality, it should cause the church some great concern, to say the least. There is more than one reason that men and women are made differently; the first and foremost of which, is the simple fact that woman was made from the man! It is extremely hard for me to think about, the 'Swirling Eddies' overtake any cognitive thought that can be assembled into any type of communication, especially one that I can easily write about. But the whole mystery that Paul speaks about in Ephesian 5:32 was first establish by God removing the rib from Adam to form Eve. Call it the theory of separation and reconciliation, if you want; but the whole point is to point to the oneness that was reestablished in Christ; that God would one day point to the church and say, "I did this from My Body!" Anywho; it should grieve us to see the lost be lost! If you were to examine your heart, there should be a little sympathy in there for those that do not realize they are headed for a disaster of epic proportion. After all, when you know the truth, it is hard to ignore the lie. More and more, the world is making the lie out to be the truth, and the truth to be the lie. That dog won't hunt! It doesn't matter how many laws are passed to make something change, the Judge that will be judging the world does not change; His word does not change and neither do His judgments, no matter how many people believe in the lie. For the most part, the grieving that takes place in us is due to the Holy Spirit living in us. It is God that is grieved, just as He was in Genesis 6:6! I you don't have that address memorized yet, it is a really easy address to remember...
"Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus' enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand in front of everyone." Then he turned to his critics and asked, " Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?" But they wouldn't answer him. He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus." (Mark 3:1-6) NLT
Taking into account the seriousness of the time, being that He coming is imminent, it is hard to ignore the way this world has taken a turn for the worst. Never mind that our children are being instructed in the perversions of the world from the ages of five and six; but the way parents have bought into the whole lie about gender neutrality, it should cause the church some great concern, to say the least. There is more than one reason that men and women are made differently; the first and foremost of which, is the simple fact that woman was made from the man! It is extremely hard for me to think about, the 'Swirling Eddies' overtake any cognitive thought that can be assembled into any type of communication, especially one that I can easily write about. But the whole mystery that Paul speaks about in Ephesian 5:32 was first establish by God removing the rib from Adam to form Eve. Call it the theory of separation and reconciliation, if you want; but the whole point is to point to the oneness that was reestablished in Christ; that God would one day point to the church and say, "I did this from My Body!" Anywho; it should grieve us to see the lost be lost! If you were to examine your heart, there should be a little sympathy in there for those that do not realize they are headed for a disaster of epic proportion. After all, when you know the truth, it is hard to ignore the lie. More and more, the world is making the lie out to be the truth, and the truth to be the lie. That dog won't hunt! It doesn't matter how many laws are passed to make something change, the Judge that will be judging the world does not change; His word does not change and neither do His judgments, no matter how many people believe in the lie. For the most part, the grieving that takes place in us is due to the Holy Spirit living in us. It is God that is grieved, just as He was in Genesis 6:6! I you don't have that address memorized yet, it is a really easy address to remember...
"Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus' enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand in front of everyone." Then he turned to his critics and asked, " Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?" But they wouldn't answer him. He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus." (Mark 3:1-6) NLT
Sunday, April 7, 2019
"The Unmovable Side"
"Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies." (Psalms 119:157)
Besides the fact that there is nothing more important than eternity with the Lord, there is another solid reason we should stay committed, no matter what: Our God is an Awesome God!!! This word for "testimonies" is a little different than the other, the one that is always plural; this one speaks of witness; as in, witness the power and majesty of Almighty God! As crazy as things might get, or the more we face trials and tribulations, there is nothing here that can even come close to the power and majesty of our God. It might take a few minutes to let that sink in, because there are so many things that get in the way of our spiritual vision. One of the things Jesus spoke of that the church needed, it was that they would be able to see. What a difference a little perspective makes on the way we view the things that are important and what we must truly fear. Simply put, the cone or triangle theory of looking at God in relationship with our worries or trials, or even our spiritual challenges, is not a theory at all, it is a fact! We can either view our issues as the larger side of the triangle and God at the point; or we can view our tiny little issues as the point and the larger side represents our powerful God. Which one do you think would make you feel more secure? Besides, what is the worst thing that can happen to us here? Not opening the door of our heart would be the top of my list...
"It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." (2 Corinthians 15:52-58) NLT
Besides the fact that there is nothing more important than eternity with the Lord, there is another solid reason we should stay committed, no matter what: Our God is an Awesome God!!! This word for "testimonies" is a little different than the other, the one that is always plural; this one speaks of witness; as in, witness the power and majesty of Almighty God! As crazy as things might get, or the more we face trials and tribulations, there is nothing here that can even come close to the power and majesty of our God. It might take a few minutes to let that sink in, because there are so many things that get in the way of our spiritual vision. One of the things Jesus spoke of that the church needed, it was that they would be able to see. What a difference a little perspective makes on the way we view the things that are important and what we must truly fear. Simply put, the cone or triangle theory of looking at God in relationship with our worries or trials, or even our spiritual challenges, is not a theory at all, it is a fact! We can either view our issues as the larger side of the triangle and God at the point; or we can view our tiny little issues as the point and the larger side represents our powerful God. Which one do you think would make you feel more secure? Besides, what is the worst thing that can happen to us here? Not opening the door of our heart would be the top of my list...
"It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." (2 Corinthians 15:52-58) NLT
Saturday, April 6, 2019
"The Near and Dear Side"
"Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments." (Psalms 119:156)
Matthew Henry finishes off the last bit of commentary on verse 155, saying, "Behold, the Judge stands before the door." What side of the door do you want to be on? Either way that you might look at it, it still speaks judgment; one is a judgment of time, as in, the time to make a choice; the other speaks of a judgment of sentence, as in, you missed your opportunity. One involves Jesus knocking, the other ends with us knocking! I think it is best to accept the first, His offer of mercy! The way that I have come to understand it, just the proof in my heart that I care, that I am concerned about what condition my heart is in, is a good sign that the Holy Spirit is still working in me and changing me from the inside out. This is the near and dear side, the side that still admits that there is a work that still needs to be done. I have learned the hard way, you don't ever want to think that your life is all good, whether it is your marriage or your employment; never let your guard down, always walk in humility and depending upon God's protection and instruction for your life and everything that He has blessed you with. Now, to the question of Jesus knocking, and does He ever need to knock twice? Maybe we need to consider a very familiar book, "My Heart-Christ's Home." There is a point in the book where the author presents a situation, where Jesus asked the host to turn over a particular closet, one that has a very strong odor coming from it. The host replies that he does not want to, so the Lord implies that He must leave the house if he does not. Now, if that might be you, and if you did not turn over the closet, and the Lord left: would you want Him to come knocking again? Would He even come knocking again? This might be one of the most important reasons that I hold onto the reason that I think Mark was the Rich Young Ruler; and why Jesus said, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." This He said in relation to a camel going through the eye of a needle, and a rich man's chances of entering the kingdom of Heaven. Does He knock twice? I think He might knock as many times as He wants or needs to knock; isn't that the point of David's proclamation and request? It might also be the reason David was called by God, "A man after Mine own heart." Truth be told, the Prodigal Son was a son, and never stopped from being a son...
""You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me -gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches."" (Revelation 3:17-22) NLT
Matthew Henry finishes off the last bit of commentary on verse 155, saying, "Behold, the Judge stands before the door." What side of the door do you want to be on? Either way that you might look at it, it still speaks judgment; one is a judgment of time, as in, the time to make a choice; the other speaks of a judgment of sentence, as in, you missed your opportunity. One involves Jesus knocking, the other ends with us knocking! I think it is best to accept the first, His offer of mercy! The way that I have come to understand it, just the proof in my heart that I care, that I am concerned about what condition my heart is in, is a good sign that the Holy Spirit is still working in me and changing me from the inside out. This is the near and dear side, the side that still admits that there is a work that still needs to be done. I have learned the hard way, you don't ever want to think that your life is all good, whether it is your marriage or your employment; never let your guard down, always walk in humility and depending upon God's protection and instruction for your life and everything that He has blessed you with. Now, to the question of Jesus knocking, and does He ever need to knock twice? Maybe we need to consider a very familiar book, "My Heart-Christ's Home." There is a point in the book where the author presents a situation, where Jesus asked the host to turn over a particular closet, one that has a very strong odor coming from it. The host replies that he does not want to, so the Lord implies that He must leave the house if he does not. Now, if that might be you, and if you did not turn over the closet, and the Lord left: would you want Him to come knocking again? Would He even come knocking again? This might be one of the most important reasons that I hold onto the reason that I think Mark was the Rich Young Ruler; and why Jesus said, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." This He said in relation to a camel going through the eye of a needle, and a rich man's chances of entering the kingdom of Heaven. Does He knock twice? I think He might knock as many times as He wants or needs to knock; isn't that the point of David's proclamation and request? It might also be the reason David was called by God, "A man after Mine own heart." Truth be told, the Prodigal Son was a son, and never stopped from being a son...
""You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me -gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches."" (Revelation 3:17-22) NLT
Friday, April 5, 2019
"The Far Side"
"Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes." (Psalms 119:155)
It is really a sad state of affairs, to be trapped in a place of despair! For many that do not regard the statutes of God, this is one reality, but for those that might regard them in their minds, but do not seek them in their hearts, this is altogether wickedness and disheartening. Here is the word that the Lord is speaking into my heart this morning, and I am sure that He is including me! I really do not want to be counted with the foolish virgins at His return, but if I disregard and ignore the Holy Spirit, it is bound to happen; this is something I feel I must not only understand, but I need to diligently make sure that it does not happen. I hope you get the point of what I am saying, because I really don't feel like diving into the illustrated version of what that looks like! If you, like I, consider yourself to be a Saint, then you must understand what that term means: it is a term that represents 'a virgin' to sin; undefiled and justified, free from sin! This is the result upon our lives as we come before the Lord and surrender our lives to Him, making Him Lord of our lives. All ten of the virgins in the parable, I believe, were saved. I base this upon the fact that they are all called virgins, although five were called foolish. That is something many might want to debate, but I would caution anyone who does not know what a fool is, to first explore the Bible for the proper definition. There is more than one salvation, in case you did know this. There is our initial salvation when we first accepted Jesus into our hearts, which was our justification; there is the salvation of living out Christ Jesus in our lives, which is sanctification; and there is the salvation of being present with the Lord in heaven; which is glorification. The Holy Spirit that resides within us, every since our initial salvation, is there to make us sanctified in Christ; a word that means that He makes our conversion legitimate or binding. This is not only for those that observe our lives to take notice, it is for ourselves, first and foremost! I guess the only way to make this point more clear, is to finish off the closing Scripture from yesterday's post; then I think I will take some time to pray...
"And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, "I know God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living the truth. But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those that say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did." (1 John 2:3-6) NLT
It is really a sad state of affairs, to be trapped in a place of despair! For many that do not regard the statutes of God, this is one reality, but for those that might regard them in their minds, but do not seek them in their hearts, this is altogether wickedness and disheartening. Here is the word that the Lord is speaking into my heart this morning, and I am sure that He is including me! I really do not want to be counted with the foolish virgins at His return, but if I disregard and ignore the Holy Spirit, it is bound to happen; this is something I feel I must not only understand, but I need to diligently make sure that it does not happen. I hope you get the point of what I am saying, because I really don't feel like diving into the illustrated version of what that looks like! If you, like I, consider yourself to be a Saint, then you must understand what that term means: it is a term that represents 'a virgin' to sin; undefiled and justified, free from sin! This is the result upon our lives as we come before the Lord and surrender our lives to Him, making Him Lord of our lives. All ten of the virgins in the parable, I believe, were saved. I base this upon the fact that they are all called virgins, although five were called foolish. That is something many might want to debate, but I would caution anyone who does not know what a fool is, to first explore the Bible for the proper definition. There is more than one salvation, in case you did know this. There is our initial salvation when we first accepted Jesus into our hearts, which was our justification; there is the salvation of living out Christ Jesus in our lives, which is sanctification; and there is the salvation of being present with the Lord in heaven; which is glorification. The Holy Spirit that resides within us, every since our initial salvation, is there to make us sanctified in Christ; a word that means that He makes our conversion legitimate or binding. This is not only for those that observe our lives to take notice, it is for ourselves, first and foremost! I guess the only way to make this point more clear, is to finish off the closing Scripture from yesterday's post; then I think I will take some time to pray...
"And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, "I know God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living the truth. But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those that say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did." (1 John 2:3-6) NLT
Thursday, April 4, 2019
"By My Side"
"Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word." (Psalms 119:154)
For all the different changes that take place in our lives, there must be something consistent that we can keep holding onto and counting on to be there, time and time again. The way I see it, if we put all of our trust in the Lord, regardless of the ways things might appear, He never leaves us or forsakes us, ever! This is really a pretty simple concept to understand; again, based upon three very clear things to keep at the forefront of our minds. As mentioned yesterday, the trouble we have in not forgetting God's law, is this thick head and hard heart. If it was easy to do, Jesus would not have had to do what He did on that cross. For the most part, we do not set out to purpose in our hearts to forget His law; it pretty much just happens when we stray from the path that we are meant to be on. I am really not all that convinced that we can walk away from the Lord; at least not without some drastic measure of rebellion or something that is not easy to overlook. I am totally convinced that once we are the Lord's possession, He is not letting us go! Things might get terribly tuff, and we may have to experience something that breaks our stoney heart; but in the end, He will get us through to the other side. At least that is my understanding; for what its worth. Which brings me to this part about Him pleading my cause. We have an Advocate who cannot be overruled! If there is one thing that can cause us to slip away, it is the thought of not having proper representation for our defense. There are so many people I have met that are in or have been in this condition, feeling as though the Lord has abandoned them for the sin they might have committed against Him. What a terrible place to be, and for all the wrong reasons! There is absolutely nothing that we can do that cannot be forgiven, as long as we have the breath within us to ask Him for forgiveness! Turning away from that is the biggest mistake that we can make; because He has already forgiven us, we just need to receive and enter into forgiveness! Jesus forgave those that put Him upon the cross, saying to the Father, "Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) What say you? Wasn't forgiveness offered first, before they could even ask for it? So basically, all that was required for them to receive the forgiveness offered to them was to accept it by asking for it; simple as that! He has already pled our cause, we simply need to ask Him to deliver us! The rest is more than something that makes perfect sense: according to His word, we have been given life, eternal life at that. How can anyone ever walk away from that...
"My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins -and not only our sins but the sins of all the world." (1 John 2:1-2) NLT
For all the different changes that take place in our lives, there must be something consistent that we can keep holding onto and counting on to be there, time and time again. The way I see it, if we put all of our trust in the Lord, regardless of the ways things might appear, He never leaves us or forsakes us, ever! This is really a pretty simple concept to understand; again, based upon three very clear things to keep at the forefront of our minds. As mentioned yesterday, the trouble we have in not forgetting God's law, is this thick head and hard heart. If it was easy to do, Jesus would not have had to do what He did on that cross. For the most part, we do not set out to purpose in our hearts to forget His law; it pretty much just happens when we stray from the path that we are meant to be on. I am really not all that convinced that we can walk away from the Lord; at least not without some drastic measure of rebellion or something that is not easy to overlook. I am totally convinced that once we are the Lord's possession, He is not letting us go! Things might get terribly tuff, and we may have to experience something that breaks our stoney heart; but in the end, He will get us through to the other side. At least that is my understanding; for what its worth. Which brings me to this part about Him pleading my cause. We have an Advocate who cannot be overruled! If there is one thing that can cause us to slip away, it is the thought of not having proper representation for our defense. There are so many people I have met that are in or have been in this condition, feeling as though the Lord has abandoned them for the sin they might have committed against Him. What a terrible place to be, and for all the wrong reasons! There is absolutely nothing that we can do that cannot be forgiven, as long as we have the breath within us to ask Him for forgiveness! Turning away from that is the biggest mistake that we can make; because He has already forgiven us, we just need to receive and enter into forgiveness! Jesus forgave those that put Him upon the cross, saying to the Father, "Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) What say you? Wasn't forgiveness offered first, before they could even ask for it? So basically, all that was required for them to receive the forgiveness offered to them was to accept it by asking for it; simple as that! He has already pled our cause, we simply need to ask Him to deliver us! The rest is more than something that makes perfect sense: according to His word, we have been given life, eternal life at that. How can anyone ever walk away from that...
"My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins -and not only our sins but the sins of all the world." (1 John 2:1-2) NLT
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
"RESH"
"Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law." (Psalms 119:153)
This might seem as though we have visited this before, but each and every one of these segments represent a whole new area of our lives that need to be examined. It is like pealing an onion, one layer at a time; that is a tremendous amount of layers to be dealt with. Obviously the condition of our heart is something we can never really get a handle on; one day we feel confident in the Lord's protection, the next day, we can wake up feeling so vulnerable and unprotected. As crazy as this world might get, by keeping God's word fresh in our minds and His law upon our hearts, nothing is to hard to handle. Matthew Henry puts it like this: "Is any afflicted? let him pray; let him pray as David does here." There are three simple steps to consider: the first and foremost thing, is that God is not only listening to what we are saying, but that He is considering that what we say is something that He cares about. Oh my goodness! How much we need to realize how much He cares! That our God would do the most disastrous thing He could, by sending His Son to take our place upon that cross, and to not think that He cares about our affliction, it does not take a whole lot of thought to figure out that He cares deeply for what goes on in our lives. The second step is really quite easy to conclude, once you have understood the first: that He is willing to deliver us, one way or another! It might not be the way we suggest or in the moment that we expect, but He will deliver us, none the less! If there is one thing we must always keep in the forefront of our minds, is that He is the Potter and we are the clay; we do not dictate how He works or what He creates, we simply must remain pliable in His hands and let Him mold us, as He sees fit. Which, if we can tolerate doing that, the third and final step comes totally natural; well, for the most part, if it wasn't for the thick headedness and hard hearts...
"Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. And that's the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir." (Galatians 4:1-7) NLT
This might seem as though we have visited this before, but each and every one of these segments represent a whole new area of our lives that need to be examined. It is like pealing an onion, one layer at a time; that is a tremendous amount of layers to be dealt with. Obviously the condition of our heart is something we can never really get a handle on; one day we feel confident in the Lord's protection, the next day, we can wake up feeling so vulnerable and unprotected. As crazy as this world might get, by keeping God's word fresh in our minds and His law upon our hearts, nothing is to hard to handle. Matthew Henry puts it like this: "Is any afflicted? let him pray; let him pray as David does here." There are three simple steps to consider: the first and foremost thing, is that God is not only listening to what we are saying, but that He is considering that what we say is something that He cares about. Oh my goodness! How much we need to realize how much He cares! That our God would do the most disastrous thing He could, by sending His Son to take our place upon that cross, and to not think that He cares about our affliction, it does not take a whole lot of thought to figure out that He cares deeply for what goes on in our lives. The second step is really quite easy to conclude, once you have understood the first: that He is willing to deliver us, one way or another! It might not be the way we suggest or in the moment that we expect, but He will deliver us, none the less! If there is one thing we must always keep in the forefront of our minds, is that He is the Potter and we are the clay; we do not dictate how He works or what He creates, we simply must remain pliable in His hands and let Him mold us, as He sees fit. Which, if we can tolerate doing that, the third and final step comes totally natural; well, for the most part, if it wasn't for the thick headedness and hard hearts...
"Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. And that's the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir." (Galatians 4:1-7) NLT
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
"Upon This Rock"
"Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever." (Psalms 119:152)
When it comes to understanding the power of the cross, our hearts must be surrendered to the love of God, because it is God's love that changes us! The majesty of what He demonstrated on the cross was well planned and orchestrated through the ages, down to the very last detail. Talk about a sigh of relief, the big "H" was the sound of Jesus saying, "It is finished!" Listening to Pastor Jon sharing on Jesus' illustration of love, the love for God and love for one another, he talked about vertical love being the love we have for God, and horizontal love being the love we have for one another. Concerning these two commands, loving God and loving others, Jesus said, "On these two commands hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:40) I could not help but picture the cross, with both the vertical and the horizontal beams fastened together, being the symbol of true love! If the Lord was choosing His words correctly, it is more than just a coincidence that He used the word, "hang," to illustrate the manor in which all the laws and the prophets are held up by loving God and others. Remember, testimonies are always plural, and they always speak of laws as divine testimonies. God's testimonies do not change, but they can and will change us! Our heart must be changed, and it is not just changed once and done; it must constantly be changed, continually, and until we ourselves get to give out that same sigh of relief, It is finished! Yes, it is extremely hard to love one another as ourselves, let alone, to love God with all that is within us; but isn't that why Jesus came and died upon the cross, that we might make it based upon His righteousness and not based upon our own? Talk about well planned out! Do you not know that one of the meanings for, "Jacob," is "Heel Catcher?" We do not make it, but for Christ...
"And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose is that people should fear him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again." (Ecclesiastes 3:14-15) NLT
When it comes to understanding the power of the cross, our hearts must be surrendered to the love of God, because it is God's love that changes us! The majesty of what He demonstrated on the cross was well planned and orchestrated through the ages, down to the very last detail. Talk about a sigh of relief, the big "H" was the sound of Jesus saying, "It is finished!" Listening to Pastor Jon sharing on Jesus' illustration of love, the love for God and love for one another, he talked about vertical love being the love we have for God, and horizontal love being the love we have for one another. Concerning these two commands, loving God and loving others, Jesus said, "On these two commands hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:40) I could not help but picture the cross, with both the vertical and the horizontal beams fastened together, being the symbol of true love! If the Lord was choosing His words correctly, it is more than just a coincidence that He used the word, "hang," to illustrate the manor in which all the laws and the prophets are held up by loving God and others. Remember, testimonies are always plural, and they always speak of laws as divine testimonies. God's testimonies do not change, but they can and will change us! Our heart must be changed, and it is not just changed once and done; it must constantly be changed, continually, and until we ourselves get to give out that same sigh of relief, It is finished! Yes, it is extremely hard to love one another as ourselves, let alone, to love God with all that is within us; but isn't that why Jesus came and died upon the cross, that we might make it based upon His righteousness and not based upon our own? Talk about well planned out! Do you not know that one of the meanings for, "Jacob," is "Heel Catcher?" We do not make it, but for Christ...
"And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose is that people should fear him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again." (Ecclesiastes 3:14-15) NLT
Monday, April 1, 2019
"Moving the Rock"
"Thou art near, O LORD: and all thy commandments are truth." (Psalms 119:151)
As some would see it, the farther we get from God's law, the deeper we fall into sin; it is just the law of doing what God wants us to do. Paul summed up the whole point that I was making quite well, as David also determined that those who followed after mischief were pretty much that way because they were far from God's law; in other words, they did not want anything to do with God and what He cared for them to do. Getting back to the cope part of this and the big "H" spoken of, we have got to determine in our hearts that God means what He says. The point about us loving Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, might seem as though it is impossible to do, but there is one major point we are forgetting: "With God, all things are possible!" I shared on this once before, about the message of the Big Rock. God will give us a challenge, like moving a rock that is impossible to move, in order to strengthen us in all sorts of different ways. As we try and try again to push against that rock, we build strength by pushing against the resistance; at the same time, our strength within ourselves is diminished and demoralized. The harder we push, without any result, the less we feel capable to complete the task the God has given us. Do you really think that Jacob prevailed against the Lord? There are some that would think it says that he did, but as they wrestled through the night, the Lord was letting him try and do all that he could to win; but he did not win! One small touch from the Lord and Jacob's hip was out of place; just a finger touch! Imagine what that must have been like, to think you were actually doing something in your flesh, only to have your flesh knocked out of joint, with just a single little touch! Do you feel overwhelmed and demoralized? Believe it or not, it is a good thing for you! The things that we can do on our own are not for God to do; God is about doing the things that are out of our ability to do. Which brings me back to the point about Him allowing things to happen, even bad and ugly things. In the Song of Solomon, the end of chapter 4 and beginning of chapter 5, it speaks of a garden; a garden that was meant to be between those two lovers, but ends up being given to unexpected guests, guests that were not all that kind to the King's lover. We are not our own, but that does not mean we are not loved and have a purpose. Look closer at your situation, and you might just find, the Rock you are trying to move is moving you...
"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Don't forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called "uncircumcised heathens" by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it effected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:10-13) NLT
As some would see it, the farther we get from God's law, the deeper we fall into sin; it is just the law of doing what God wants us to do. Paul summed up the whole point that I was making quite well, as David also determined that those who followed after mischief were pretty much that way because they were far from God's law; in other words, they did not want anything to do with God and what He cared for them to do. Getting back to the cope part of this and the big "H" spoken of, we have got to determine in our hearts that God means what He says. The point about us loving Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, might seem as though it is impossible to do, but there is one major point we are forgetting: "With God, all things are possible!" I shared on this once before, about the message of the Big Rock. God will give us a challenge, like moving a rock that is impossible to move, in order to strengthen us in all sorts of different ways. As we try and try again to push against that rock, we build strength by pushing against the resistance; at the same time, our strength within ourselves is diminished and demoralized. The harder we push, without any result, the less we feel capable to complete the task the God has given us. Do you really think that Jacob prevailed against the Lord? There are some that would think it says that he did, but as they wrestled through the night, the Lord was letting him try and do all that he could to win; but he did not win! One small touch from the Lord and Jacob's hip was out of place; just a finger touch! Imagine what that must have been like, to think you were actually doing something in your flesh, only to have your flesh knocked out of joint, with just a single little touch! Do you feel overwhelmed and demoralized? Believe it or not, it is a good thing for you! The things that we can do on our own are not for God to do; God is about doing the things that are out of our ability to do. Which brings me back to the point about Him allowing things to happen, even bad and ugly things. In the Song of Solomon, the end of chapter 4 and beginning of chapter 5, it speaks of a garden; a garden that was meant to be between those two lovers, but ends up being given to unexpected guests, guests that were not all that kind to the King's lover. We are not our own, but that does not mean we are not loved and have a purpose. Look closer at your situation, and you might just find, the Rock you are trying to move is moving you...
"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Don't forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called "uncircumcised heathens" by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it effected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:10-13) NLT
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